Supernatural: Recap Plus Season 4 Story & Cast Notes

First, we were a bit ripped last season, only getting 16 episodes of Supernatural due to the interruptus-writer-strikus, but it is what it is. Hopefully by next year, we will quit suffering from the affects of that event.

In the season 3 finale of Supernatural, we watched Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) try to find a way out of Dean’s contract with the devil, but come up empty-handed. Dean played his “stubborn card” and tried to deal with the issue with good old fashion elbow grease. In other words, no help from anyone demonic or otherwise.

But without the demon killing Colt, they were up the creek before they even started. Dean’s time arrived, the hell hound came and took his life, sending him to his agreed upon contractual destination.

The episode closed with Dean strung up in a void, screaming for his brother – and it wasn’t too pretty.

My first thought: I was hoping for that last minute rescue last season, or their dad intervening somehow, yet wondering how flubbed it would be if that did happen. Well, they didn’t flub it. Dang it.

So I was wondering (at that time) if Supernatural was going to be a Sam-centric show? The answer is no. Jensen Ackles is coming back for season 4. So I started to wonder how they rescue Dean, and if it would be a one episode or multi-episodal event?

Well, I think I should quit asking questions.

The 4th season opener is titled Lazarus Rising. It picks up four months after Dean’s “departure” and he’s back in his fully restored human body with nary a clue as to how or who did it. He hooks back up with his brother, who is leery that it really is his brother at first, and they in turn hook back up with fellow hunter Bobby Singer to figure things out.

They turn to a psychic named Pamela Barnes, played by Traci Dinwiddie, for answers.

The rest is up to you to figure out, or heck, even watch the show!! I can’t spill everything for ya! In fact, I won’t!

Some Notes:

It seems (and this is just my guess) that The CW was dropping a load of money on their new show, the sequel, spin-off or whatever you want to call it, 90210. I say that because The CW reduced Supernatural’s show budget, forcing the creative forces (Eric Kripke, et al) to come at it from a different angle. In other words, we’ll be presented with less costly methods of filming, like skirmishes and off camera action to bring answers to some events.

Kripke will focus more on the development of the relationships than the bigger fight, though the bigger fight will obviously still go on, being that’s what the show is about.

Some side affects of lesser budget is the loss of some of the cast, and we’ve already seen that happen – you just didn’t realize why.

Bela (Lauren Cohan) was sent packing as was Ruby (Katie Cassidy). I really hated Bela, but in a way, that’s kudos to Lauren for playing her well enough for me to hate her. I also kept wondering what Ruby’s agenda was. I was never quite sure what it was she wanted out of all this. Something nagged at me. Again, well played to keep me guessing, but in the end, well, she ended up gone.

They were victims of budget cuts. The CW said that while filming in Canada, they’re suffering from a lousy exchange rate. My first take would be if it’s so lousy, why not come on back and do it here? But that’s just me. I don’t know everything and I could be wrong.

Instead, they’ll be injecting intermittent female roles rather than one regular character through out the show. (At least that’s what they said back in July.)

Regardless, watch for some real doozy of a story line that’s going to mix up this upcoming season with Supernatural.

I have to wonder: Did their dad have something to do with it or is Dean there for a reason that even he doesn’t know about? And now will we see just how many double cheeseburgers Dean eats for breakfast now that he’s back? I think since he wasn’t worried about his diet just before his ill-fated date with his contract, how many little story lines might come back to bite him? High cholesterol? Other issues with anyone he “tapped” since he had nothing to lose? (I remember something about some adventurous twins last season.) If they’re on spot, the writing crew has a few good things to throw at us on top of the rest of the tale they need to tell.

Let’s see what happens!! See you at the TV Thursday night, Sept. 18th, when Supernatural returns to the air. Sources: TV Guide, TV Guide, Eclipse Magazine